Sen. Gary Peter (D-Mich) was one of the eight Democrats who voted with Republicans to end the government shutdown weeks ago, but now he is shocked that Republicans will not support extending Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) subsidies that would have helped tens of millions of Americans buy health insurance, reports NBC News:
“I’m not hopeful that that’s going to happen,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said. “We’ll keep trying to work at it, but I’m not feeling good about it right now. … Things are not coming together like I would’ve hoped that they would.”
…The group of eight agreed to end the shutdown after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., promised Democrats a vote on a health care bill of their choosing next week, a promise he reiterated Tuesday.
But that would require 60 votes, and as Republicans struggle to coalesce around a proposal of their own, Thune said the two sides still aren’t close to an agreement.
“I haven’t seen yet what the Dems are proposing. I don’t think we’re close to a 60-vote threshold yet,” Thune told NBC News on Tuesday.
…Democrats prefer a straightforward extension of the expiring ACA funds. Republicans, who control both the House and Senate, have ruled out a clean extension. But GOP leaders haven’t proposed an alternative plan to begin negotiations, as many rank-and-file Republican lawmakers want the ACA funds to end entirely.